Wife accused of killing spouse, burying him with pals’ help, deputies say

A Northern California woman has been arrested on suspicion of killing her husband and eliciting the help of two women to bury him in a shallow grave, authorities said.

The grim discovery was made after investigators received an anonymous call implicating Monica Kelly Rodriguez, 33, of Marysville, in the murder of her husband, according to the Yuba County Sheriff’s Department.

The caller indicated she had killed her husband and got two women to help her bury him in a shallow grave in Olivehurst, a community about 38 miles north of Sacramento, sheriff’s officials said.

On Friday, deputies went to the address described in the call and found a body buried in a shallow grave.

Investigators matched tattoos on the body to Juan Rodriguez, whom Monica reported missing in January.

Detectives obtained a warrant to search Monica’s home, where they found evidence supporting the anonymous caller’s statement. Investigators did not disclose details about the evidence seized at her home.

She was immediately arrested on suspicion of murder.

Then on Saturday, detectives located the two alleged accomplices — Maria Aurora Vega, 23, and Lorena Christine Ruiz, 25, both of Yuba City. They were taken into custody in connection with being accessories to the crime of murder.

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